


Perfect

by Voltroll



Category: Den lengste reisen | The Longest Journey
Genre: Childbirth, M/M, Mpreg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-20
Updated: 2016-08-20
Packaged: 2018-08-09 22:38:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7820008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Voltroll/pseuds/Voltroll
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Many things had happened in Kian Alvane's life that he never would have expected back when he was the Apostle. A pregnant Dolmari sprawled on their side in his bed, face pressed into a pillow, was by far and away the most unexpected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Perfect

Many things had happened in Kian Alvane's life that he never would have expected back when he was the Apostle. A pregnant Dolmari sprawled on their side in his bed, face pressed into a pillow, was by far and away the _most_ unexpected.

He would never get used to magicals. Just when he thought he knew everything there was to know about them, something new popped up and proved him completely wrong. Likho's pregnancy had been one of those new things.

Of all the things Saga had told him would happen after they left Marcuria, she had conveniently left out the small little detail that Likho was going give birth to his child a year after they reached Azadir. Kian would never forget the smug little smirk on her face when Likho announced he was expecting. The grin it had become when Kian learned he was expected to be present for the birth was even more memorable.

Azadi births were a female matter, attended only by midwives and female friends and relatives of the mother. He had absolutely zero idea what happened in a birthing room and he had had no desire to find out.

Dolmari births, however, were something entirely different. The sire of the child was expected to be with their labouring partner at all times, and Likho's face when Kian suggested otherwise was enough to fell a cloudship.

And so it was that Kian now found himself sat on the floor next to the bed, listening to Likho's grunts of discomfort. The Dolmari hadn't been in labour for very long, a few hours at most, so the pains weren't too bad yet, but it was clear from the soft sounds he let out every now and then that he wasn't exactly pain free either.

'Likho-' Kian began, craning his neck to look up at his labouring husband.

'Shhh,' was all the response he got as Likho buried his face further into his pillow.

Kian sighed, leaning back against the bedframe. That made the fifth time he had been told to be quiet since this whole thing started four hours ago. He honestly didn't know why he was even here if all Likho was going to do was shush him every time he opened his mouth.

'You keep shushing me,' he remarked, a little more irritably than he meant to.

'Because you keep talking,' Likho replied, equally irritably. 'I'm trying to rest. It's going to get a lot harder than this.'

'But-'

'Kian!' Likho snapped, lifting his head from his pillow to glare at the Azadi with his one good eye.

A moment of silence passed between the two before Likho flopped back down with a sigh and shifted his hips uncomfortably. 'Please, just... let me do this.'

Kian heaved himself to his feet with another sigh and perched on the edge of the bed, running a hand up and down Likho's leg in a vague attempt to comfort him. It seemed to work as Likho reached out a hand to take Kian's, holding it tight.

'Sorry. I'll be quiet,' Kian said.

'Thank you.'

So they sat in silence for another half hour or so before Likho decided that lying on the bed was getting uncomfortable and he wanted to move around.

'Help me up,' he requested and Kian was happy to oblige.

They walked the perimeter of the little bedroom twice before Likho let out a groan, face screwing up.

'How bad are they?' now that Likho was up and about, Kian guessed it was acceptable to talk.

'I can still walk through them. How far apart are they?'

'About fifteen minutes,' Kian had taken to timing the contractions during the hours of silence and had watched them gradually increasing in frequency (and intensity if Likho's noises were anything to go by).

After that the two fell back into silence.

Walking didn't help for long. Another half hour later, Likho was even more uncomfortable than he had been on the bed. No position seemed to work for him and he was starting to get frustrated. Kian rubbed his back, the only thing that seemed to help relieve some of the pressure, and a thought occurred to him.

'I've heard that some Azadi women find it easier to labour in water,' he said, waiting for Likho to grunt in acknowledgement before continuing, 'would you like to try it?'

'At this point I'm willing to try anything,' Likho groaned.

From the beginning, Likho had been pretty averse to any Azadi customs relating to pregnancy and childbirth. Things must be getting bad for him to agree so readily to this. Kian gave him a last reassuring pat before pulling away and moving towards the en suite.

'I'll go fill up the tub. I'll be right back.'

The warm water definitely seemed to help. Likho was a lot more comfortable knelt in the tub with Kian massaging his back and shoulders. Every now and then he would let out a low hum, the volume increasing and decreasing with the contractions. Kian murmured words of encouragement whenever the pain seemed to get too bad.

Kian had no idea how much time passed while they were in there but by the time Likho wanted to get out, the contractions were very close together. Kian helped him out of the tub and dried him off with a towel. Likho didn't want his clothes back on (he said the very idea made him feel suffocated) so Kian just wrapped a blanket around him instead.

'Your son is as stubborn as you are,' Likho grumbled through gritted teeth, leaning into Kian as another contraction hit.

'You're far more stubborn than I am,' Kian countered, stroking Likho's hair until the contraction passed.

The two returned to the bedroom, Likho leaning heavily on Kian, and Kian got the Dolmari settled kneeling on the floor, blanket draped over him. He remained behind Likho, arms wrapped around his chest, holding him steady while also allowing him to rest back against him.

'It won't be long, now,' Kian said, gently kissing the top of Likho's head.

He was right. No less than three contractions later and Likho's waters broke in a gush of fluids, prompting another moan from the Dolmari and he pressed his head back into Kian's shoulder, hissing quietly.

'You're doing so well,' Kian murmured, tightening his embrace.

'Hurts,' Likho hissed, fingers tightening around his blanket.

'It'll pass,' Kian assured him. 'Just keep breathing. In... Out... In... Out...'

He kept up this chant until he felt Likho relax against his chest, signalling that the contraction had passed. He was trembling and, for a moment, Kian thought he was cold until he reached to pull the blanket up further and Likho caught his hand.

'Don't. Already too hot.'

'Do you want me to get rid of the blanket?' Kian asked, smoothing some stray strands of hair off Likho's face, which was covered with a sheen of sweat.

Likho nodded and Kian quickly pulled the blanket off him, laying it to the side without much thought.

'Can't do this,' Likho groaned, gritting his teeth against another contraction.

'You can, you're doing so well,' Kian said. 'It'll be over soon, I promise, then you'll be holding Vitaliy.'

Saga hadn't told him any of this was going to happen, but she _had_ told the two of them that they were going to have a son. After much debating, they settled on a Dolmari name and, after even more debating, they had finally agreed on the name Vitaliy.

Now, the mention of the name seemed to inspire Likho, which was just what Kian had hoped it would do. Still trembling and clearly still in a lot of pain, Likho seemed to regain his resolve, working his way through each contraction with renewed strength until something seemed to change.

Kian quickly noticed when Likho's moans turned into strained grunts.

'Are you pushing?' he asked, his voice betraying the alarm that was suddenly filling his head.

Likho didn't answer, still in the grips of a contraction and seemingly unable to focus on anything but bearing down.

Kian held his breath, his mind racing. It was finally happening. He was going to meet his son soon.

The contraction ended and Likho fell back against Kian, breathing hard and reaching for his hand. Kian let out the breath he didn't even realize he'd been holding, letting Likho take his hand and giving a reassuring squeeze.

'You're doing amazingly, Likho,' he said, 'Vitaliy's almost here.'

Likho managed a smile before another contraction overtook him and he was pushing again before Kian even knew it. He felt Likho's grip tighten and he started up with his words of encouragement again, losing track of the amount of times he said, 'You're doing great.'

'Kian,' Likho gasped, 'head's out.'

'I've got it,' Kian said, pulling away from the Dolmari and positioning his hands beneath him, feeling his son's head and almost losing it right there. But he knew he had to keep it together for Likho's sake.

'I've got him, Likho,' he said, his voice shaking. 'Whenever you're ready.'

Likho nodded and bore down with the next contraction, pushing their son further into the world. After his head came his shoulders, then his torso, and then, in a rush, Kian was lifting a tiny, blue body to Likho's chest, his breath catching in his throat as the full realization hit him. His son was here.

A high pitched wail filled the room as Vitaliy took his first breath. Kian stared in awe at his son.

'You... you did it,' was all he could say, looking at Likho with the biggest grin on his face. 'You did it.'

Likho's smile was even bigger as he held his son close to his chest, all the pain of the last few hours forgotten.

'Hello, Vitaliy,' he whispered, stroking a thumb across his son's cheek.

Kian didn't really take in the next few minutes when the afterbirth was delivered or the cord cut. All he was really aware of was his son's cries, which gradually quietened as Vitaliy became accustomed to his new world.

Once everything was cleaned up, Kian helped Likho back into the bed, lying next to him and staring at his son. He couldn't believe he was really here, this small, scrunched up little thing they'd been waiting so long to meet was finally here with them. And he was perfect.


End file.
